


Breakaway

by Kipsels



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Relationship, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Fluff, Leon loses, Leon vs Chris at a shooting range, and claire is the cure, and very little of it actually takes place in a cafe, evolving plotlines, ft big brother chris, future smut, it is the cafe au no one was asking for, leon has anxiety, undercover investigations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2019-11-15 08:07:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18069701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kipsels/pseuds/Kipsels
Summary: Working at the R.P.D wasn't like how he imagined it to be, and as the date for his one year anniversary on the force creeps closer Leon finds himself falling into a bit of a slump. A chance encounter with a pretty redhead working at a cafe over the summer might just be what he needs to brighten up his life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to preface this by saying that I have no idea about different coffee types and don't really care to learn. Also all my knowledge of police bureaucracy comes for Zootopia soo...
> 
> Enjoy?

**\-    June 2 1999    -**

Jesus _Christ._

God _fucking_ dammit.

She was Chris Redfield's little sister. _The_ Chris Redfield, S.T.A.R.S point man and archetype for the all American hero.

Claire wasn't just a cute girl that he'd asked to go on a date with. She was a cute girl with an older brother who owned a gun and actually knew how to use it.

Leon was going to hell, and Chris Redfield was gonna be the one to send him there.

 

**\-    May 7 1999     -**

September 29, 1999.

The date had been circled with a fat red pen on the yearly planner that sat on his desk. To the rest of the world, the date held little significance, but for Leon, it meant everything. For Leon, it marked the completion of his first year working at the R.P.D, and, hopefully, the end of his rookie status.

But time moved slowly and unfortunately for him, it was still months away. Months more of giving out parking tickets, speeding tickets, and donuts. If he was lucky, maybe they wouldn't be so insistent on bringing him along to those community spirit events, like the visits to the nursing homes with the lovely old ladies that just got a _little_ too handsy when they tried to hug him.

Leon traced the circle with his finger and wondered if there was any way to speed up time. It’s not like he was disappointed with his job as a police officer but… okay he was a little disappointed. When he’d decided to join the force as a naive teen, he’d had dreams of taking down bad guys and making society a better place for everyone. That’s why he chose his assignment to Raccoon City. The force had set up a special team to fight the increasingly gruesome crimes occurring in the city just a few years prior, and Leon had thought maybe he could be apart of that. Not the team, he didn’t have the kind of background they were looking for, but he wanted to be apart of the bigger picture, making Raccoon City a better, safer place to live for everyone.

He closed his eyes and sighed. There was no room for this defeatist attitude he was developing he told himself.

He just had to consider these last few months as an opportunity Leon thought. It would be his first summer break while on the force, which meant more school kids roaming the streets. Arklay State University had also disbanded for semester break and had flooded the city with college kids just waiting to get busted for underage drinking or smoking pot. This could be the moment Leon was waiting for, an opportunity to show his worth and prove himself as a valuable member of the force.

Leon looked down at the assignment stub in his hand and sighed. Parking again.

He was sure his time to shine was coming. It just wasn’t today.

As it turned out, he was right. He'd gotten distracted between writing tickets, getting yelled at for writing said tickets, and also a little bit of bribery to please not write said ticket. He'd lost track of the time, which on a normal day was a good thing, but as the clouds continued to gather above him it would have been nice to give himself a warning. And just like that, it was raining. The skies had been bright and blue just hours before when Leon left the station for his quadrant and had left his rain jacket behind in the police vehicle as well, and now it was raining so heavily that he had gotten soaked through in the time it took to write a single ticket. He could head back to the car which was only four blocks away, but the problem was that his partner had taken the key with him and Leon had no way to retrieve it other than to wait around.

The rain continued to pour, and Leon ducked under the eaves of a little cafe. The interior glowed with a welcoming sense of warmth and he was instantly tempted to step inside, but he hesitated before reach for the door. He was still technically on duty and if any of his superiors caught him slacking off he’d be in the shit for it. But... it's not like he could do much when the weather was like this, and when he turned to look back on the street he could already see the paper tickets wilting in the rain and soon they would become illegible mush.

It's not like his superior officer was going to come do rounds in the rain anyway.

It felt like the rain was getting heavier by the second, and Leon wasn’t getting any dryer standing out here. Decision made, Leon grabbed the door knob and pushed the door in, the bell above tinkling to announce his arrival in the cheery little place. The heat against the wet chill on his skin made him shiver, acutely aware that he must’ve looked like a mess. A couple curled up in a booth looked at him curiously as he passed them, but the woman working behind the counter had her back turned as she dried mugs.

She had dark auburn hair, kept up in a ponytail. It swayed with her movements, and when Leon coughed to make his presence known, it bobbed as she nodded her head.

“What can I get you?” She asked without turning. She set down the last of the mugs and worked her way towards the coffee machine.

“Could I get a large americano to go, please,” Leon said, as he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket.

“Sure, just give me a sec!” She called out, and she finally looked over her shoulder at him, flipping her fringe out her eyes and-

Oh. Oh wow.

Her face broke out in a grin and she giggled, turning back to the coffee machine. Leon reached up to touch his own traitorous mouth - had he, just said that out loud?

“Thanks, I guess?” She teased, and her voice was sweet.

She set the takeaway cup on the counter, exchanging it for his credit card. As she swiped through the payment she remarked, “Looks like you’ve been having a rough day, officer.”

Leon ran his hand through his hair, and in its current state it stayed sticking up. He tried to play it off, “Nah. The weather is the least of my worries.”

She grinned again, showing off her perfectly straight teeth and the little dimple in her cheek, “Well, you should probably stay caffeinated while chasing all the big baddies out there right?”

“If by big baddies you mean people who overstay their parking time limit, then you’re right,” He said, and something about the warmth in her expression made him smile back.

She nodded sagely as she handed back his card with the receipt for him to sign, “They’re the worst kind.”

He laughed, surprised at the wit in this girl. She looked about his age, maybe a little younger. Her eyes were a pretty, slate blue and seemed to reflect her emotions back at him. After nearly a year of feeling little to no interest for the girls that flirted with him, he wondered what it was about her that made him feel different.

"Would you like a pastry as well? I'm sure you deserve it after all your hard work," She asked with a flourish of her hand. Leon could barely tear his eyes away from her, spared only a glance at the pastry display and shook his head.

"I'm good thanks," He answered.

"Maintaining your figure?"

"Something like that."

The radio on his hip crackled to life, and his partner called in to see where Leon was, ready to call it in for the day. Leon grabbed the coffee before sweeping to the exit. As he reached for the door, he paused and turned back to look at the cute cafe worker.

“Hey, what’s your name?” He asked.

“It’s Claire.”

“Claire. I guess I’ll see you around then.”

She smiled, and it made his chest feel warm.

"I hope so."

 

**\-    May 15 1999    -**

It was the first Saturday Leon had had off in a very long time. Normally, a day off entailed an extended lie in, a trip to the gym and a stop at the grocery store to restock his bare bones fridge. Today could go exactly as he expected it to if he followed the clean cut routine his life had become in the last year, but something had been niggling in the back of his mind for the last week.

Claire.

He’d never told her his name. He knew her name, had asked for it, but he’d never reciprocated. Then again, she didn’t ask for his name _either._ Maybe she didn’t want to know, maybe she just wasn’t interested in him at all. As self deprecating as he was, even Leon had to acknowledge he wasn’t hideous - he’d had plenty of interest from some of the younger female officers, and some of the older ones too. One time, when he’d been sent to deal with a noise complaint that turned out to be a hen’s night party that had gotten a little too rowdy, the women had mistaken him for a uniformed stripper instead of a man in uniform.

So no, he wasn’t ugly, but maybe he just wasn’t her type?

He exhaled deeply and stared at the peeling plaster on his bedroom ceiling. He was overthinking it, he knew that. They’d barely spoken to each other and yet he was already completely enamored, and some small part of him whispered that it hoped she was too.

“Come on Kennedy,” He huffed and sat up. Sitting around at home was going to get him nowhere. He thought about all the times his mother called to hear about the comings and goings in his life, how she would tentatively ask if there was any special girl in his life. The answer was always the same, and so was the thinly veiled disappointment in his mom’s response.

He’d put down his roots in Raccoon City. Maybe this was his sign to move forward and make his future in this city just a little bit brighter.

He scrounged through the clothing on his floor, trying to find something that was clean and not part of his uniform. It looked like a trip to the laundromat was also in order. He found a plain black t-shirt in the pile that seemed relatively clean (at least, if there were stains they were hidden) and threw it on with a pair of jeans. Leon smoothed out his hair as checked himself over in the mirror.

He looked okay. A little tired, if he was being honest. He probably also needed to shave, but his stubble was blond and he could get away with it for a few extra days.

Right. The cafe.

Leon grabbed his keys and walked out of his little one bedroom apartment, locking the door behind him. He reasoned that even if she wasn't at work today, he could still grab a coffee before heading into town to check out the weekend farmers market.

Leon spotted her right away through the window. She was chatting animatedly with a man who was sitting on one of the bar stools, her arms gesturing animatedly as she spoke. She had an enthusiasm for life that Leon could admire, but it almost stopped him from going inside. He didn't know anything about her - for all he knew that man could be her boyfriend. The way she turned away from the man when he walked through the door told him otherwise, which made him feel a little bit better for being so hung up on this girl. But only a little.

“Oh hey! It's my favourite soggy cop,” She called out in greeting, “Though you’re looking decidedly dry today.”

“Hah, yeah. I try not to look like a drowned rat on a day to day basis," He said, and stopped himself from brushing his hair back nervously again.

“Oh I dunno, I kinda liked how your uniform looked when you’re all white. Kinda, clingy,” She said, and it didn’t take an idiot to tell that she was flirting with him, "But this is good too. I get to see the real Leon now."

"I'm...wait, how do you know my name?" He asked, confused.

She laughed and shrugged, “It was on the receipt, and I was curious. Does that count as stalking, officer?”

He leaned in and smiled cheekily, “It might. But in that case I’ll have to take you in.”

“Oh please, don’t! I promise I’ll be good,” She raised her hands up and backed away. Claire pretended to fret in front of him, and it made Leon enjoyed this new level of playfulness. It felt nice to talk to someone just for the fun of it, for it not to be about a case or semantics.

“Lucky for you, I’m off duty. You’re off the hook,” He conceded and leaned back again. He grabbed one of the seats at the counter and settled himself in.

“Thank _you,_ officer,” She let out a loud, over exaggerated sigh and wiped invisible sweat from her forehead. “What can I get you to show you my thanks?”

“Just a large americano again, thanks.”

“I’ll be right on it.”

When she handed over the mug and took his card again, she asked him what brought him back, and Leon fibbed that the place was on the way to his local grocery store. That, and the coffee was good.

It was better than the percolated stuff he got at the office anyway.

“That’s cool! I guess I’ll probably see you around more often then?” She asked hopefully.

“Yep,” He took a sip, “As long as you keep making coffee this good.”

“I can keep that promise,” She said with a wink.

And if Leon wasn’t already lost, he definitely was now.

 

**\-    May 27 1999    -**

Leon found his schedule changing to fit in visits to the cafe whenever he could. Whenever his shift ended, day or night, he took the long way home to pull in and see if she was working. When she was there he would pop inside and enjoy a coffee and her bubbly personality, but when she wasn’t it left him feeling oddly bereft.

Leon couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this enamoured by a girl. No, that was a lie. He remembered how he had doted on his previous girlfriend and had been completely blindsided when she’d broke up with him after his graduation ceremony.  _That_ had hurt like a stab to the gut.

But Claire was different, he could feel it. Which meant that if he wanted to make any progress with her he needed to buck up the courage and ask her out like a man.

So when his shift ended just after 5:30 in the morning, as much as he wanted to drive straight home and face plant into his pillow, he took the opposite turn towards a familiar street in hopes of seeing his pretty little redhead.

His. He liked the sound of that.

His.

He sat in his car and waited for the time to tick past, and like clockwork the lights flipped on and the open sign was twisted on the door at six sharp, ready to catch the morning commuters. Leon waited another fifteen minutes before exiting his car, he didn’t want to seem too eager.

Or like a creep.

Because he was starting to feel a little bit like one.

When he tentatively opened the door and peeked inside, he found Claire giving the tables a quick wipe over. Luck was on his side today, it seemed. She straightened up and turned, ready to welcome him before she realised who it was.

“Oh, it’s you!” She smiled, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d almost think you came around just to see me.”

“Well, you’re not wrong,” He said as he stepped inside. Her head cocked to the side as she waited for him to elaborate, “I’ve actually got something to ask you.”

“Shoot,” She whipped the tea towel over her shoulder and crossed her arms.

“I- Look. Do you, would you. Like, to go on a date,” Leon stammered, “With me, I mean.”

Claire stared at him for a long time, and Leon thought he’d already gone and fucked it up. But as the seconds ticked by, her smile grew until she was practically beaming, “Yeah! Yeah, I would love to.”

“Really?” Leon asked, stunned that she’d actually agreed.

“Yeah! You’re really fun and I, want to get to know you better,” She said, suddenly bashful, “To be honest, seeing you kinda makes my day. This cafe isn’t exactly busy and I’m usually bored out of my brains.”

Bolstered by the fact he hadn’t just been ceremoniously rejected, he pushed on, “How about next Friday then? I have the day off so we could go to lunch?”

She shook her head, “I’m working mid that day.”

“Well, I could pick up up after work. We could do dinner instead,” He suggested.

“That sounds good! I’ll be getting off at 5:30, but I’ll bring a change of clothes in my backpack and then we can head out,” She agreed cheerily.

“It’s a date then,” He smiled, relieved. “Look, as much as I want to stay, I’ve just got off the night shift and I feel like dying.”

She took the tea towel from her shoulder and whipped him with it in the arm, “Go! And get home safely, I don’t wanna find out you had a crash on the way and can’t make it.”

He put up his hands in surrender, and backed towards the door again, “Okay! Okay. I’m going.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

“Great, now leave.”

“Leaving.”

She smiled softly and rolled her eyes at him. When she began to turn away as he pushed the door open, she called out to him softly, “Sweet dreams, okay?”

Yeah. Leon was definitely going to have sweet dreams today, he thought.

 

**\-    June 2 1999    -**

There was only one thing Leon hated more than writing up paperwork on the crappy old typewriters the R.P.D still had in circulation. One day, _one day_ , Leon would have enough seniority to banish the bloody things into the depths of hell and kick this office into the future and get everyone a computer. Or at least an office fax machine.

But yes, the one thing worse than the archaic R.P.D equipment was handing the finished paperwork to the office secretary, who was meant to send it off to the correct people or, or file it or _something._ The sour old lady seemed to have it in for him, and it felt like a battle in itself just to get her to do her job.

So yes, when future Leon had the seniority to have a sway in office bureaucracy, the craggly old witch was getting thrown out with the typewriters too.

These thoughts and more went through Leon’s mind as he tried to cajole and flatter the woman into taking the stack of papers in his hands. This woman was insipid, bothersome, annoying bi-

A tap on his shoulder made him jump, and he swung around to face the perpetrator. He was met with a beaming smile and auburn hair, and if he wasn’t imagining it, the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

“One large americano, for my favourite soggy officer,” Claire grinned. She popped out one of the cardboard cups out of the holder she was carrying and held it up to him. Leon found himself smiling back as the tension left his being.

“Thanks,” He said as he took the proffered drink, “You have no idea how much I need this right now.”

She watched as he took a sip and the coffee scalded his tongue. He stuck it out between his lips to cool it and she laughed softly at him, gave him a little nudge.

“I didn’t know you did deliveries,” He contemplated out loud as he took in the other drinks held in the tray.

She leaned to one side and rested her weight on her hip, and Leon wondered if she knew how it accentuated her waist even in her cafe uniform. It definitely gave him an appreciation for what a pair of slacks and a button down blouse could do on the right person.

“Mmm, not usually. This is a special delivery,” She suggested with a quirk of her eyebrow, and Leon felt his heart thud a little heavier in his chest. Her blue eyes glanced somewhere over his shoulder as she continued, “I actually just got off work and came to see my brother, but I was kinda hoping I’d run into you as well.”

Her brother? Did that mean…

“You’re brother’s a police officer too?” He asked, curious.

“Yeah! Have I not mentioned that before? Must have slipped my mind,” She hummed. “He’s just getting off now, so I bought coffee for him and a few of his workmates. The nice ones, anyway.”

He leaned back against the reception desk behind him and could hear the scoff that came from the secretary. Setting the stack of papers down next to him, he tried to think of who her brother might have been. Most of the men he worked with seemed a little too old.

“What, so the rest of them aren't?” He teased.

“Well, his captain is a real asshole,” She growled and rolled her eyes at the thought. That was interesting. Leon tried to think through all the superior officers that might have met that description, and there were a few of them. Though, maybe none of them as much as...

Her eyes darted behind him again and widened with recognition, “There he is! I gotta dash, but we’re still on for Friday, right?”

“Yeah, of course. I guess I’ll see you around?” Leon voice petered off, watching as she jogged past him and headed straight towards the stairs. Funny, from Leon’s vantage point he could only see three members of the S.T.A.R.S team - Jill, Barry and -

“Clairebear!”

“Chris!”

Oh.

_Fuck._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! As a quick recap - yes, this takes place in an alternate universe where the bad guys are just normal bad guys and not flesh eating zombies. Wesker does make an appearance, but he's just your average douche bag (who may or may not have a pet zombie in his back yard, up to you).
> 
> Maybe the apocalypse happens later? Maybe it never does. But this is just a sweet story about two people falling in love.
> 
> That's it.
> 
> Cheers!


	2. Chapter 2

**-    June 4 1999    -**

Leon had been sweating under his collar for the past two days after he realised just what he was dealing with. Chris Redfield was a strong man with a powerful personality and fierce devotion for his teammates, and Leon just knew he would be the overprotective big brother type. He acutely remembered meeting him for the first time at the little welcome party the police department held for Leon when he started, how he’d slapped him on the back so hard it almost made him stumble. After that he had very little to do with Chris - S.T.A.R.S was a highly trained team and Leon was often left with the menial tasks as a junior officer so he had little to do with  those he didn't work with directly. But everything he did know told him Chris was a force to be reckoned with, and he just didn't know how to approach the situation without enraging the proverbial bull.

Did he wait until Claire brought it up in her own conversations with Chris, or did that look cowardly? If the date went well, was he meant to seek out Chris at the precinct and declare his intentions, or was that too egotistical? He could write a pros and cons list as to why Chris should approve of him, rather than some frat boy she could've been dating instead.

As much as he hated to admit it, a small voice inside of him wondered that if the date just went really badly, he could avoid confrontation altogether.

Leon's head pressed down on the steering wheel as he tried to calm the the swirling storm inside his head. His thoughts had just been going round in circles since he pulled up by the cafe to pick Claire up when she finished her shift, but with nothing else to occupy himself with there wasn't much to stem it. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths in, trying to calm his frayed nerves.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid. Nothing's even happened yet,” He muttered to himself. There was no point worrying about it now, as the clock on his dashboard flicked over to 5:30 and Leon was determined to enjoy his night with Claire.

At 5:45 she stepped out through the cafe front doors, dressed in blue skinny jeans and a black turtleneck crop top that gave him a peek at the pale skin of her belly. Seeing Claire instantly helped to diffuse the tension that had been building up inside him, but it was replaced with a jittery anxiousness he couldn't seem to control.

She looked back and forth down the street trying to spot him, and Leon stumbled out of his truck to grab her attention.

“Claire!” He called out to her, and she turned towards him. When she spotted him she broke out in a smile and waved.

“Leon,” She greeted as she skipped up to him, “I had no idea what your car looked like, and for some reason I kept thinking you'd be driving a police car.”

She bobbed on the spot in front of him, and after a second of nervous silence she spoke up, “You look nice!”

Leon had been fortunate enough to finish his laundry beforehand, and he’d picked out a pale gray button down that had dried fairly wrinkle free. The warm weather and his own nerves had made him roll up the sleeves, leaving his forearms bare.

He reached up and ran his hand through his hair, suddenly feeling bashful. “I thought that was meant to be my line,” He said.

Claire smiled back at him and shrugged, “Well, I’m all about that new age feminism. Just so you know.”

“Oh, does that mean I shouldn’t open the door for you?”

“Hmm, no. Chivalry is _always_ appreciated.”

Once he’d moved off the curb and onto the main road, Claire got herself comfortable in the passenger seat.

“So, where are we going?”

“This diner I’ve been to, it’s called Emmy’s. It’s pretty nice and they make the best burgers in Raccoon,” He answered, turning the car around the corner. The rush hour traffic was starting to build up and slow down their passage through the city, but the diner wasn't too far away.

“I thought it would be nice to just, talk.”

“I get to talk to you when you’re at the cafe,” She murmured.

“I want to talk to you without the uniform in the way,” He expanded. She smiled and him and nodded her head in acceptance.

They made small talk as they drove through the city, and Leon managed to find a park on the street not too far from the place. The neon sign glowed with welcome, and the diner had started to fill up with the first dinner rotation. Leon opened the door for her and ushered her inside, stepping in behind her. The waitress seated them by the window and handed out the menus before tottering off to help other diners, leaving them to their own thoughts.

“I haven't really been on a proper date before,” she confessed, and suddenly her bravado seemed a lot less imposing, “I mean, I've have been on dates before, but the last couple years I've focused so hard on studying that I haven't really been looking and I don't think dates when you're fifteen are really the same. There’s no curfew to keep, after all.”

“Well, that has to be a bonus,” Leon agreed, surprised he could even get a sentence out. Since they had sat down all he could look at was her, and the looming proverbial shadow of her brother over her shoulder. He fidgeted nervously in his seat as he read through the menu for a distraction.

Before long the waitress was back and they ordered their food, and Claire cheerily asked for a strawberry milkshake as well. The conversation petered off, and Leon had never felt more awkward in his life.

“Leon, what’s wrong?” Claire asked, confusion furrowing her brow, “You’re usually so talkative and witty, but tonight it’s like your mouth is sewn shut. Are you regretting this…?”

“No, it’s not that. I just,” Leon stammered, finding it hard to find the right words.

“If I’d known that you were Chris’ little sister, I’m not sure I…” The rest was left unsaid, but Claire searched his eyes for an answer and he could see the change in her posture as she found it.

“Are you scared of my brother?” Claire asked, and he wasn’t liking the the shit-eating grin growing on her face.

Leon floundered. Of _course_ he was scared of him. Terrified even. Maybe it was the whole sibling love thing that clouded her judgement but that man was built like a brick wall. A brick wall that would happily drop 2000 pounds of rubble on Leon if he ever found out about this. Still, admitting to _that_ wasn’t exactly the impression Leon wanted to give off. So he did what any sane man trying to impress a pretty girl would do in his situation.

Lie.

“What? No!” He sat back in his chair, as if he was so taken aback by the thought that he’d literally been blown away. “It’s just that...It’s just that we’re colleagues and...friends. You don’t ask a friend’s little sister out on a date.”

“You guys are friends?”

“Yeah!”

“Huh… I guess I’ve only ever heard him talk about Barry and Jill really, and about the giant rod stuck up Wesker’s ass,” She contemplated.

“We don't work together. I'm still a junior officer and Chris is in the big league,” Leon reasoned, and honestly it made him feel like crap, but she seemed to take it.

“Listen, I know Chris can get a little protective. That's partly why I've never really had a proper boyfriend before. But you know him,” Claire explained, “The posturing is just an interrogation tactic he uses when he doesn't trust a guy's intentions, and even though I'd never admit it to his face he was right about some of them.”

They were interrupted by their food, and it seemed like a solid point to stop talking about Chris and start talking about them. After all, Leon still wasn’t convinced he’d ever live to see her again, and he told himself he might as well enjoy his last moments on earth with the pretty redhead in front of him.

Claire tucked into her burger with enthusiasm, breaking it down with french fries she liberally dipped within her milkshake. He laughed in mock disgust as she tried to give him some, trying to convince him that they were waaaay better than it sounded. He wasn’t so convinced, but she managed to mush one into his lips and he reluctantly ate it. Not his favourite, but damn if he didn’t find it cute.

“How old are you?” Leon asked, partly in response to her childish behaviour and partly because he was genuinely curious.

“I’ll have you know I'm nearly twenty, my birthday’s coming up pretty soon,” She scoffed, as if implying anything else was ludicrous, but she continued nonetheless, “What about you? How many years of seniority am I dealing with?”

“Uh, none actually. This is my first year on the force,” He admitted, “I’m twenty-two.”

Claire nodded and admitted, “I kinda figured. You’re way more perky than half the cops I’ve met down at the precinct, it's that youthful glow you’ve got.”

“What is this? Did I really invite a girl out just to have her tell me how wet behind the ears I am?” He mock teased, pressing his hand to his chest.

“I dunno, but I think you kinda like it,” She winked back.

“Enough, it’s hurting my ego.” Leon pouted and tried to redirect the conversation, “So, have you always worked at the cafe?”

She smiled and shook her head, “Nah. I've just finished my freshman year, so I'm staying with Chris over the break. He made it more than clear he's not paying my way while I'm here, so I picked up this gig. I also do a little bit of babysitting for Barry's kids when it’s date night, and he's nice enough to tip me a bit for my time.”

“You go to Arklay State then?”

“No way. I’d rather die than become one of those trash pandas,” She stuck her tongue out and gave it a thumbs down.

“That's fair. All the college kids I've met from Arklay are pretty trash,” He laughed.

“I drag it a lot but Arklay is great for medical science since they get all that funding from Umbrella. I was more interested in engineering, and I’m a lot better at it too, so I’m studying at Michigan University,” She confessed.

“What about your parents? They live here in Raccoon City too?” Claire expression fell as soon as the words left his mouth, and Leon was pretty sure he’d already put his foot in it. She looked away as she absently twirled the straw in her milkshake and Leon was ready to apologise when she turned backed to him and sighed.

“My parents both passed away, it’s just me and Chris,” She said.

“Claire… I’m so sorry, I didn’t -”

“No, it’s okay. It was a long time ago. Chris did as best as he could to raise me and keep me out of foster care, and my memories of them are pretty vague now. He went into the army to support me at first, so I could work hard and get an education, and he helped me get scholarships for university” She looked up at him, her blue eyes a little sad but still sincere, “I’m incredibly luck to have him as my brother, and I’ve kind of forgotten what it’s like to have adult parents. It just catches me off guard when people mention them.”

After a moment of hesitation, Leon reached over and grabbed her hand. His thumb rubbed over the ridges of her knuckles and for a second he was distracted by the softness of her skin. Her hand turned over and she curled her fingers around his palm in response. Suddenly, Chris’ protectiveness when it came to Claire made more sense.

“What about your parents? What are they like?” She asked, and the cloud of sadness in her eyes started to fade.

Leon wondered if answering was the right thing to do, or if it was a deflection tactic he needed to focus on. Still, she seemed honestly curious about him and his family, so he answered, “They’re good people. My dad is the biggest clown you'll probably ever meet, it was so embarrassing growing up, and his jokes are horrible. My mom's the kind of woman who puts her own worries aside and takes on everyone else's for them. She's the one person I could always confide it, judgement free. She even supported me becoming a police officer even though she hated it.”

Claire's expression filled with warmth as he spoke, and when he finished she sighed softly and said, “They sound amazing, you're lucky to have them.”

There was no guilt or jealousy in her words, only the truth she felt.

‘Yeah, I guess I am.”

Leon found that conversation flowed easily between them once he let go of his anxiety, and he enjoyed the banter. Claire wasn’t just a pretty girl with a smart mouth, she had a smart brain too and Leon was incredibly attracted to it. They talked long into the night, until their leftover fries had long gone cold and the last dregs of ice cream in her milkshake had melted. Before they knew it it was close to 10:00 and the place was closing for the night.

Leon took her home, using her directions to get there. She lead them out of the main thoroughfare of Raccoon City and into the surrounding suburbia.  Leon pulled up in front of the brownstone townhouse she pointed out and pulled up the handbrake on his car. He turned his body towards Claire and took her hand.

“Look, Claire. I had a really nice night tonight…” He started.

“Is this the part where you tell me I'm a nice girl but once was enough?” Claire asked, confused.

“What? No! No, of course not. I was just going to ask you not to tell Chris yet. I wanna tell him myself, because I definitely want to see you again.”

She relaxed again, “Will you still come visit me at the cafe?”

“So long as you keep making the best coffee,” He grinned.

She smiled that sweet smile that made his heart flutter in his chest, and she leaned over towards him and pressed her lips to his cheek. “I really want to see you again, too,” She whispered, and his ear felt hot.

She picked up the pen he’d left in the cup holder and grabbed his forearm, writing down a series of numbers.

“In case you want to call,” She said. He took the pen off her and wrote down his own number delicately on her arm as well.

“Ditto.”

They fell into comfortable silence once more, and Leon was captivated by her blue eyes. Was this the part where he leaned in? Did he kiss her? Did she _want_ to be kissed?

The moment was broken when Claire moved back and opened the car door, jumping out, “You know where to find me.”

The door was shut, and he watched as Claire jogged up to the front door and headed inside. She gave one final turn and waved at him, and he waved back. When she was safely inside, he leaned back into his chair and exhaled.

This woman was going to be the death of him, and he was going to love every second of it.

 

**-    June 6 1999    -**

He needed to come up with a game plan, and fast. Something that was a little more developed than ‘Step one - earn Chris’ respect and friendship, Step two - don’t die’. If only there was someone he could ask or confide in, someone with more experience. He thought about the friends he made in the academy, but they had dispersed all over the country and he’d lost contact with most of them, and he hadn’t really spoken to his friends back home in a long time. There was no way he was contacting his parents about it, _the humiliation of it_.

Leon’s eyes scanned the office. It was mostly empty as it usually was late at night, but there were a few cops still milling about on the night shift. One in particular stuck out to him. Kevin Ryman, awarded police officer and failed S.T.A.R.S candidate. He was a candid ‘friends with anyone’ kind of guy, Leon knew from his previous interactions with him and whenever they had been paired together for patrol. He had that suave air about him, and came across as a bit of a ladies man.

And right now, he was looking more and more like Leon’s best option.

“Kevin, I need your help,” Leon said as he pulled up a seat to the man’s desk. The older officer had been writing annotations down on the paperwork in front of him, but seemed relieved to have a distraction from the monotony of it. He swivelled his chair to face Leon, and leaned to the side to rest his chin on his fist.

“What’s up, kid?” Kevin asked, with that jovial easiness that saw him in as much trouble as it got him out of it. Leon had figured out of all the men he worked with, Kevin gave off the impression he had the most experience with relationships what with the whole ‘tall,dark and handsome’ persona he had going on. Whether that was true or not, Leon guessed he was going to find out.

“I’ve been, seeing this girl,” He said, mulling over the words slowly. Kevin's eyebrows perked higher on his forehead in interest.

“I didn’t think you’d have any problems with the fairer sex. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?” Kevin teased, but at Leon’s less than impressed expression he sighed and nodded his head, “I’m listening.”

“Well, it’s been going pretty well and I really like her. I want to keep seeing her,” Leon explained. He wondered if the summer air was permeating the room or he was feeling the heat of his own embarrassment.

“So what’s the problem then?” He prodded, looking slightly bored.

Leon swallowed, “She’s… She’s Chris Redfield’s little sister.”

Leon could see the very moment that his words registered in Kevin’s mind, watched as he lifted his head and sat up straight. Then, the man threw his head back and laughed, clutching his stomach in surprise.

“Kid, you are so _fucked,_ ” He bellowed. Leon felt like he wanted to be buried alive from embarrassment.

“Wow, thanks,” Leon said tartly, and moved to get up and forget he'd even tried. Kevin’s hand reached out and gripped his shoulder, effectively shoving him back down.

“Hey, hey, hey. I’m sorry, it’s just really fucking funny. I’ve watched that cute little lady get plenty of attention from other officers over the last couple of years, and I’ve gotta tell you the fact you even got a date in is an accomplishment,” Kevin said, impressed, “Chris’ modus operandi is to take them out back to the courtyard and show them what’s what before they get any ideas.”

“That’s just it,” Leon sighed, “Chris doesn’t know.”

Kevin looked like he’d grown a second head, “What do you mean he doesn’t know?”

“I met her at the cafe she works at, and I’d already asked her out before she turned up at the precinct saying she was there to meet her brother. I had no idea,” Leon sighed in frustration. “We went on our first date last Friday, and I really want to see her again. Without, y’know, getting _crushed_ by Chris.”

Kevin seemed to sober up slightly, picking up on Leon’s anxiety. He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair with a stretch, “What do you want me to do about it?”

“I don’t know, I thought you might have some experience with this sort of thing. You know Chris better than I do, maybe you could give me some pointers on how to get into his good books,” Leon said pleadingly.

He watched Kevin turn his head to the side, his lips pursed in thought. The silence was deafening as he waited for a response, and when he finally turned back he said something Leon wasn’t expecting, “Listen Leon, you’re a good guy. I’ve seen how you work, and you’re more dedicated than some of these other officers have been in their entire careers. I’ll help you, if you help me.”

“Help you how?” Leon queried.

Kevin looked around the office for any cops that could be eavesdropping on their conversation, but the room was fairly empty barring a few other frazzled cops working on paperwork. He moved in closer to Leon and ducked his head, his voice low as he spoke, “Listen, I’ve been doing some investigating of my own, off the books. Chief Irons is not a good guy, Leon. He doesn’t deserve to be running this place - hell, he doesn’t deserve to be walking free if what I’ve been hearing is true.”

His hand came up to clasp Leon’s shoulder again, and it pulled him in tight, “You can help me expose him, and I’ll help you with your Chris problem.”

Leon stared into the other man’s eyes, looking for signs of deceit. All he could see was sheer determination and confidence which made him question, “You want me to help bring down the _Chief_? That’s insane, you know I’m just a rookie.”

“Exactly! You can fly under the radar better than anyone else, and he already hates my guts and watches my every move. I doubt Chief Irons even knows your name.”

Leon conceded that he had a point. Chief Irons had always effectively brushed him off when he tried to talk to him, but Leon had always assumed it was because the man was busy enough directing an entire precinct. As he thought about it, Kevin stood up from his seat and stretched.

“Look at it this way, kid. You get the girl of your dreams without having your dick cut off, and _I_ get what I want by seeing a scumbag brought to justice,” He said airily, and his hand reached out to Leon, “Deal?”

Leon swallowed. This wasn’t what he had imagined when he had hoped to make a difference in this city, but this could be _big._ He didn’t know what Chief Irons had done, but what Kevin was implying didn’t sound like petty theft.

Was this it? Was this his moment to shine, to breakaway from the monotony of his life?

Leon reached out and gripped Kevin’s hand, shook it firmly.

“Deal.”

Kevin smirked, exuding confidence.

“Perfect.”

 

**-    June 10 1999  -**

Leon felt a little more assured with his situation after his agreement with Kevin. There was still a high chance he might get killed by big brother Chris, but it felt like the odds had turned at least a little.

Which is why he didn't feel so anxious to visit the cafe today before work. He hadn't made it out there recently because their schedules had clashed, and as much as he would have liked to have popped in while he was on duty he knew he could only get away with it for so long.

The door jingled above his head, and he was met with a new sight. His pretty redhead and a steaming cup of coffee already made, waiting for him to take it.

“I know you can't stay long, but I also figured this was the first time we've gotten to see each other all week,” Claire said and handed the cup over to him, “And I kinda missed my soggy officer.”

“I've kinda missed you too,” He smiled around the rim of the cup, and enjoyed the warm feeling of caffeine settle in his gut.

The lunch rush was over, if this little hole in the wall ever saw a lunch rush, and Claire sat down at one of the booths and beckoned him over.  
  
"How's work been?" She asked as she traced patterns on the table with her finger.

"It's, fine," Leon muttered. He wondered how much he could tell her.

"I've been hearing rumours. About certain officers being involved in some nefarious stuff. It's kinda concerning."

Claire's brow furrowed in thought, "That doesn't sound good. I wonder if Chris knows anything about it."

"I wouldn't bother him about it. It's all just hearsay right now," Leon dismissed. If Chris was going to get involved, he would need to discuss it with Kevin first.

"Well, you know where to go when you need a break from all those office politics."

"What about you, how have you been?" Leon asked, and he boldly reached out to take her hand.

"Good! I'm sorting through all the papers for enrolments for my sophomore year. Life looks like it's gonna get a little hectic," She answered with a nervous smile.

“I don't know if I'd be much help, but I’ll be around tomorrow, if you'd like,” Leon said.

“I would. Like that,” Claire confessed, “You have no idea how much you brighten up my days here. When this place isn't a complete ghost town I'm usually getting yelled at by a customer to hurry up on their order. It's good to see your face when you come around."

"You make this place bearable."

**-    June 14 1999  -**

Leon was ready to start his day, assignment in hand. He’d always thought the R.P.D building was a little convoluted, but the longer he was here the more he learned about the different nooks and crannies of the place, and the fastest way to get from A to B. He was about to head down to the garage to take out one of the cars, when he was accosted around a corner. Kevin had grabbed his upper arm and dragged him in the opposite direction from where he was heading.

“Hey, come on,” Leon protested, but he couldn’t shake Kevin’s grip, “I need to get to work.”

“Yeah yeah, parking duty can wait,” Kevin said blithely, and it made Leon feel a little sour towards the man.

“Remember our deal, I help you if you help me,” He continued. Leon was starting to see that it wasn’t often that Kevin didn’t get his way, and conceded to follow him, if only to stop him gripping his arm so hard.

“So far you haven’t helped me,” Leon pointed out.

“We’ll get to that, I promise,” Kevin waved the thought away, “I think I’ve got a witness, but she doesn’t want to talk to me. I think you might have a better time of it, you’re about the same age and I doubt there’s many girls that can resist your face even if you are completely ignorant to it.”

“Listen kid, this will only work if I can fill you in on everything I know. But I can’t do it out in the open, or else we both might lose our jobs,” Kevin brought his arm around Leon’s shoulders, guiding him to follow along as they walked through the main hall of the precinct.

“We need to pick a date and time were we can get a little privacy and talk things over,” He said, “And in return I can give you some pointers with your little...romantic problem.”

Leon sighed internally, wondering if he’d made the right choice confiding in Kevin. It hadn’t hurt him so far, but he could imagine himself being in a world of pain if any of this went wrong.

“I’ve got the night shift this Thursday, it’ll be a dead night. Will that work?” He asked. Kevin seemed to mull it over before he nodded.

“It’ll work. I’ll get everything ready for then,” Kevin agreed.

The little detour had lead them towards the front of the building, and Leon saw Chris walking past with Jill, heading towards the exit. His eyes followed them, and he almost missed Kevin waving at his face to get his attention.

“What?”

Kevin shoved him in the shoulder, “First lesson. Get over there. You can’t cosy up to him if you’re over here with me.”

“What am I meant to say?” Leon frowned. He hadn’t been ready to jump straight in the deep end like this.

“I don’t know, tell him how much you admire S.T.A.R.S or some shit. Be a kiss ass, it’ll work for you.”

Leon caught Chris leaving the R.P.D with Jill, and jogged over to catch up with them. They duo immediately noticed him and stopped walking.

“Hey, Leon isn't it? What's up?” Chris asked.

“Nothing! Nothing, what are you guys up to?” He threw back at him, trying to come across as casually as possible.

Chris’ eyebrow quirked, and there was a shared glance between him and Jill. Jill, however was a little more forgiving when faced with his awkwardness.

“We’re just heading out to investigate a lead. The team is on the tail of what could be the biggest drug bust this city has ever seen.” She said.

“Man, that is so impressive. You know I really admire what S.T.A.R.S does for the city,” Leon said, spewing out what Kevin had told to him, “I can only hope I’ll be as skilled a police officer as you guys are one day.”

God, that was _weak._

But it seemed to work. Chris smirked slightly as he looked him over.

“You’re more than welcome to come up to our office if anyone’s in. Maybe we’ll be able to give you some pointers on what to work on,” He suggested, in the way one tantalises a small child with big dreams to become an astronaut.

“Yeah, our door is always open,” Jill continued.

“Great! I’ll guess you’ll see me around then,” Leon said, and then stumbled to the side when he realised he was still blocking the way, “I better leave you to it.”

“See you around, Leon,” Jill smiled as the two walked passed. Chris gave him a brief wave over the shoulder, and soon the two of them were gone.

Leon turned to look back into the main hall and found Kevin still standing where he left him. The older man gave him a questioning thumbs up which Leon returned. Kevin fist pumped the air, and Leon let out the breath he felt like he’d been holding for the last 5 minutes.

Maybe this could work, after all.

 

**-    June 14 1999  -**

He’d been lying in bed for an hour, trying to sleep. It was a hot and sticky night, and the portable fan he’d dragged up to his bedside was doing little to cool him down.

The shrill beep of his phone in the living room broke the silence and Leon jumped out of bed to answer it. He picked up the receiver and brought it to his ear, “Leon Kennedy speaking.”

He expected it to be the precinct calling him in, but instead of hearing a grumpy secretary on the other end he was greeted by a soft, slightly sleepy sounding voice.

“Hey,” She murmured.

“Claire?” He asked, slightly confused. He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall- it was after one in the morning.

“Is everything okay? Why are you calling so late?”

“No, everything’s fine. I couldn’t sleep, and I was thinking about you so I…” She paused, “I didn’t wake you up did you?”

Leon sat down on his couch and tried to untangle to landline cord, “No. I couldn’t sleep either.”

He heard her sigh into the phone, “Chris is on an assignment tonight, and the house feels weirdly quiet when I can’t hear his snoring down the hall.”

“You don’t like the peace and quiet?” He teased gently.

“Well, my college roommate wasn’t exactly the most silent sleeper either. I guess I’m just used to the background noise now,” She reasoned.

“I was actually wondering… would you like to go on another date this week? If you don’t, that’s okay! I just thought, you said you wanted to see me again and it’s been a little while so I-” She rambled, and Leon couldn’t find it more endearing. It also made him feel a little more relaxed knowing she was just as nervous around him as he was around her.

“Claire! Of course I want to go out with you again,” He said, breaking through her rant, “I had a really great time with you. I just, I still haven’t spoken to Chris yet.”

“That’s okay. We’ll just keep it on the down low for now. Maybe we could go catch a movie?”

Leon pulled last week’s newspaper out from under the takeout containers stacked on top of his coffee table. He shuffled through the pages and found the listing for the local cinema, and spoke them out loud to her, “Notting Hill just opened? Do you wanna go see that?”

“A rom-com? No way. Is the Mummy still on?” She asked, and Leon was silently glad he wouldn’t have to sit through a romantic movie for her sake. Not that he wouldn’t, he was fairly certain he could watch the worst movie ever made and just being next to Claire would make it bearable.

He skimmed the paper once more and confirmed, “There’s one showing on Wednesday night. Does that suit you?”

“Yes! I’m opener that day,” She cheered quietly.

“That’s great. Do you want me to come pick you up?” Leon asked with a stifled yawn.

“No, I can meet you at the cinema.” Claire answered, before continuing with a more general question, “How was your day, anyway?”

“The usual brain drain, though one guy came in with this pretty crazy story…”

They stayed talking on the phone well into the night, and if Leon forgot to tell her that he had to leave for work in six hours without any sleep, well that was just going to be on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of your responses to the first chapter! They warm my heart and I really enjoy reading them, even if I don't get around to replying. I had a great laugh at all the 'RIP Leon' messages, and the guy isn't out of the woods yet. I hope you liked this chapter just as much as the first!
> 
> As a side note, Kevin Ryman was a character from the Resident Evil Outbreak games, and I've never played them. Everything about his character I learnt from the wiki page and is my own interpretation.


	3. Chapter 3

**-    June 16 1999    -**

He was running late. They'd asked him to stay back for a couple of hours to wrap up a statement that was being taken at the precinct, and by the time he got off there was only half an hour until the movie started. He didn't even have any real time to change, and instead resorted to removing his tactical gear and leaving him in his police blues.

When he finally arrived, Leon found Claire standing outside the cinema where she was looking back and forth, scanning the street for him. He waved as he jogged up to her, and when she spotted him she waved back eagerly.

“Hurry up,” She called out, “The movie's about to start and I haven't gotten popcorn yet!”

“I'll go buy the tickets,” He proceeded to walk straight passed her, but was stopped when she grabbed his hand.

She flashed the two paper tickets in front of his face, “No need.”

“I'm buying popcorn then.”

“If you insist.”

When Leon had a large bucket of popcorn under his arm and Claire was eagerly swinging back and forth on her heels by the cinema doors, he grabbed a kernel and threw it at her.

“Come on, we don't want to miss anything,” He urged.

She rolled her eyes at him playfully, and reached over to grab a handful of popcorn, “Don't act like you weren't the one running late. I was starting to think you'd stood me up.”

“I got caught up at the precinct,” He admitted.

“Okay, I forgive you this time,” She said, “but only because I like the way your ass looks in your uniform.”

When they sat down in their seats, she grabbed the bucket off him and settled it between her thighs and dived right in. Mouth full of popcorn, she licked off the salt and butter clinging to her fingers.

He wondered if he should have been put off by the sight, when all he found it to be was distracting and quite frankly, a little arousing.

Claire was gonna be the death of him.

The distractions continued even after the movie started. Leon was sure that it was a good movie, but he found he couldn’t really pay attention to what was happening on the screen when Claire was clutching at his thigh. She was incredibly emotive, and he could see every single one of her reactions to what was playing out on screen. Half way through the movie, Leon found the courage to bring his arm over her shoulders, and she instinctively lifted her hand to thread her fingers through his like it was the most natural thing in the world.

When they left the cinema, Claire was practically clinging to his hand and jittering on the spot.

“That movie is gonna give me nightmares, I just know it,” Claire announced, and she gave a full body shiver at the thought.

“What? It wasn't even that scary,” Leon laughed.

“No! But the part with the scarab beetle getting under his skin was just so- ugh!” Claire gasped, “I hate bugs so much.”

“Don't worry, I'll protect you from the bugs,” he answered smoothly. Claire quirked her eyebrow at him in surprise before she shook her head and laughed softly.

“You’re such a dork,” She murmured fondly.

It was getting late, and the people milling around the cinema quickly dispersed, ready to head home, but Leon wasn't ready to leave Claire's company yet.

“Hey,” Leon started, nudging her gently, “Do you wanna go for a walk? I don’t think anything will be open for food this late, but we can try to find someplace if you’re hungry.”

“I’m  _always_ hungry,” Claire joked with a firm pat to her stomach.

“But a walk sounds really nice, too.”

The cinema was only a few blocks away from Raccoon City’s central park, and they found themselves heading in that direction. As they walked down the street, they confirmed that all of the restaurants and cafes had indeed closed for the night. The convenience store on the corner was still open, it’s neon 24/7 light glowing cheerily in the murky darkness that always seemed to cover the city at night.

They went in and grabbed ice cream, but after Claire cheekily smushed her cone into Leon’s nose he wasn’t so sure how much they actually managed to eat compared to what ended up on their clothes.

The park was lit up by Victorian style street lamps that were nowhere near as old as they looked, casting a warm, dappled glow on the footpath. The evening summer warmth had brought out the cloying smell of the blooming night jasmine, and combined with their solitude as they walked it gave the place an ethereal, storybook feeling Leon didn’t think was possible in Raccoon City. When they neared the lake that was central to the park, they continued their path hand in hand around its edge, and Leon’ was simply happy to enjoy the warmth of her hand and the peacefulness of the night.

“Don’t you think that the town planners could have found a better name than  _Coon Park_?” Claire asked with a snigger, “Raccoon City’s Coon Park.”

“I guess it was named after someone important,” Leon tried to reason, even though he secretly agreed.

“Yeah. The giant raccoon the pioneers found that made them want to build a city here,” She laughed, and bumped her shoulder into his upper arm, “I bet they saw this big, fat raccoon in the forest and decided it was a symbol of prosperity or something. But first, they turned it into a hat.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Not as ridiculous as this place,” She sniffed.

“You don’t like Raccoon City?” Leon asked curiously. Claire looked away and shrugged.

“I don’t know. There’s nothing  _wrong_ with this place, it’s just gives me a bad vibe,” She sighed, “Always has. But I guess once I’ve finished up with college I’ll move out this way permanently. It’d be nice to be closer to Chris.”

“I’d like that, too,” Leon said, the words halfway caught in his throat as he said it. Claire turned her head back to look at him, and give him a sweet smile.

“Will you miss me, when summer’s over?” She asked softly.

“Like you wouldn’t believe.”

Even in the darkness, Leon could see Claire’s cheeks quickly redden as she looked down at the ground. He admired the way her thick lashes brushed against her skin, and was once again caught by surprise over how beautiful this girl was.

“It’s so strange,” She murmured, so quiet he could barely hear it, “But I feel like I’ve known you for so much longer than a couple of weeks. I’ve never had a connection like this with anyone before.”

Leon felt himself flush when she spoke. She was right, Leon hardly knew her and yet from the moment they had met on that rainy afternoon he'd been captured by her pure magnetism. He grabbed her other hand and drew around to face him, and she gave him a look of surprise.

“Can I kiss you?” Leon asked softly and Claire giggled shyly in response.

“I was hoping you’d kiss me when you dropped me off last time,” She admitted, and her hand curled warmly against the nape of his neck, “So if the mood strikes, I guess I can permit it.”

He stepped in a little closer, cuddled up to her body. As his head dipped towards hers, he murmured cheekily, “I think I’m feeling the mood now.”

Claire’s lips were petal soft and plush against his own. Sweet and chaste, Leon kissed her gently under the dappled streetlight. Her fingers combed through his hair, giving him goosebumps that prickled his scalp, and his own hands tugged her hips forward and further into him. She made a sound almost like a squeak in response, and hearing it made his heart flutter in his chest.

When he pressed his tongue against the seam of her lips, she opened them in invitation and he delved in to taste the warm cavern of her mouth. She tasted like buttery popcorn and sticky sweet ice cream and something that was uniquely Claire, and it made him moan softly as he got acquainted with the taste.

When they broke apart, he could feel her moist breath against his lips as she panted quietly. Her eyes were wide and bright and her cheeks were flushed in the prettiest way.

Yeah, he thought. He really,  _really,_ liked this girl.

 

**-    June 17 1999    -**

Leon had almost fallen asleep at his desk when Kevin came around just before midnight and gave him a quick pat on the shoulder. It had been a lazy night, even more so that usual. What calls had come in through 911 had not been emergencies, or even required police assistance, so Leon was glad for the distraction even though he felt a little apprehensive at the same time. He stood from his desk and followed Kevin out, noticing that the older man was carrying a stack of manilla files under his arm, as inconspicuous as any other police files. Leon wondered what information they held, and how they related to the mysterious case of Brian Irons.

Kevin took them to one of the rooms Leon had never bothered to go before- the art store room. The room itself was rather spooky, with statues covered in drapery like ghosts and dusty paintings stacked up against the wall. It was utterly unkempt, and Leon could see why Kevin had brought him here.

No one else would go looking here either.

Leon tried to stifle the shiver that ran down his spine as he closed the door behind himself, and he leaned up against against it with his hands tucked into his pockets. He watched on as Kevin dragged a cloth covered desk towards the centre of the room.

“Alright, what have you got?” Leon asked, curious to get started.

“I have this,” Kevin said as he slapped down the stack of manilla files, and spread them out over the space.

“Five separate missing persons files, all women in their early twenties. Blonde, of similar builds. They’ve all disappeared within the last two years, and except for one none of them had any kind of record,” He explained as he opened each file, the women’s profiles shown in pictures clipped at the front of the documents.

“You think they’re connected?” Leon asked as he stepped closer. His fingers leafed through the notes of one of the files, finding it as bare bones as possible. A quick glance showed that the other files were similarly empty.

“I don’t know, kid” Kevin admitted, “But any police officer worth his badge would at least explore the possibility.”

“So, what does this have to do with Chief Irons?” Leon persisted. He couldn't connect the dots when this was all he had to go by, and he could tell Kevin had more to divulge.

Kevin sighed and ground his knuckles into the desk, “That’s just it. Irons is the superior officer that’s signed off on all of these cases, but the reporting officer is Paul Stevens.”

“Paul Stevens? I don’t think I’ve met him,” Leon commented as he checked a file to confirm the name.

“That’s because he left the police department three years ago, moved to Boston with his wife,” Kevin pushed, “He was already gone before any of these cases were even opened.”

“How can Irons assign a case to an officer that’s not even…” Leon petered off. Irons hadn’t just assigned one case to an absentee officer, he’d assigned  _five._

Leon looked up at Kevin, took in the stern expression on the jovial man’s face. He really wasn’t kidding when he said he thought Irons was dealing with some nasty stuff.

“You think there's a serial killer in Raccoon City, and Irons is covering for them,” Leon stated.

“Serial killer, sex trafficking ring, it's something,” Kevin confirmed, “But Chief Irons is on their payslip regardless.”

“This isn’t much to go on,” Leon pointed out, unsure.

Kevin pushed back and away from the desk and began to pace the borders of the room, “It’s not. But it’s a  _hunch._ I know missing persons cases are tough and investigations are always dicey if there’s no evidence to go on. But you can’t tell me all of these cases are stuck in the same bureaucratic hell because of a simple office typo. This isn’t right, I can  _feel_ it.”

Leon sighed as he felt his own frustration rise up inside him. Regardless of the situation and its tenuous links to Irons, he couldn’t help but feel angry at the way the system had failed these women and their families. This was the exact opposite of what Leon wanted to accomplish when he chose to become a police officer, but he couldn’t just let this go. It went against everything in his being.

“So what's the plan then?” He asked, determined to see this thing through.

Kevin smiled confidently and began to stack up the files, “The mayor has a daughter and she's fits the archetype of the other missing girls. She’s usually at public events with the rest of the family. Irons is almost always at the events as well, given his position. I noticed her behaviour was a little odd at the last publicity event, she looked like she wanted to be as far away from Irons as she could get, but when I tried asked her about it, she sent me away with a scathing look.”

“I want you to go talk to her, see if she knows anything,” Kevin finished.

Leon’s brow furrowed, concerned over Kevin’s tenuous plan, “If she won't talk to you, why would she talk to me?”

“You're young. She'll feel safer with you, and she might open up a bit more for a handsome lad,” Kevin shrugged.

“You want me. To flirt with her. For information,” Leon deadpanned. Even with his own feelings of justice coursing through his veins, he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed at Kevin.

Kevin grinned, “If you have to, Kid.”

Leon shook his head and sighed, but he'd already agreed to help Kevin out, regardless the cost. The deal didn't even matter to him.

“How am I going to get to her? I can’t just turn up at the Mayor’s house and start asking questions,” Leon asked, ready to drill Kevin for all the information that he had.

“She plays tennis on Saturdays, part of the social club,” Kevin answered.

“I can't play tennis to save my life.”

The older man shrugged it off, and he passed the files over to Leon, “Doesn't matter, there's a casual little restaurant just by the courts she eats at with a few other girls after they finish their matches. You can grab your chance then.”

“How do you know so much about her activities?” Leon asked, feeling his suspicion rise up.

“I just got lucky. Girl I know is in the same social club, and she's someone I can trust wholeheartedly,” Kevin sounded almost wistful as he said it, but he quickly brushed it off and patted Leon on the arm, “Come on, kid. Let’s get you back to your desk before anyone notices you gone.”

Leon nodded his head, and spoke softly as they exited the secluded room, “I'll see what I can find out from her. I won’t let you down.”

“Good man, good man.”

 

**-    June 20 1999    -**

“Hey, Leon. Could I talk to you for a second?” A feminine voice called from behind him. Leon turned around at the sound of his name, and was surprised to find Jill standing a few paces away.

“Uh, yeah. Sure,” He agreed, and walked over to her, “What’s up?”

Jill started to move off, and beckoned him to follow her. Leon quickly realised they were heading for the stairs, and probably towards the S.T.A.R.S office itself. As they ascended, she started, “So I saw something interesting the other night…”

_Shit._ Had she been in the office last night? Had she seen Kevin and him talking, heard the damning evidence Kevin had collated and had handed over to him? What if she was on Irons’ side?

“Look, whatever you saw. It doesn’t mean anything,” Leon stammered, trying to play down what could be turning into a very horrible situation. Jill’s eyebrow quirked up and she gave him an odd look, as though that was not was what she was expecting to hear. It wasn’t the response he was expecting from her either.

“I hope that’s a lie, for your sake,” She said, and opened up the door to the office. She scanned the room, but found it empty.  Jill dropped down into her chair and ushered him closer. When he hovered around her desk, she shoved him towards the closest chair. Chris’ chair.

Jill leaned forward, her elbows supported on her desk and her fingers steepled together. Her brilliant blue eyes narrowed as she scrutinised him, and Leon suddenly understood why this woman was on a special forces team.

“I saw you,” Jill started, and Leon’s thoughts ran off. How was he getting out of this? Was she a turncoat, or was she on their side? For god’s sake, he was only a junior officer, he didn’t have the experience for this.

“-and Claire.”

_What?_

“Two days ago. You were at the cinema with her,” She stated, and her tone of voice brooked no argument.

Leon was stunned. It was like his brain had just stopped operating, stuck on the sentence Jill had uttered. She’d...seen them? Not him and Kevin, but him and Claire. Had she told Chris?

Was Chris waiting around the corner, ready to smash his head in with a brick?

“You were at the cinema?” He asked dumbly.

“I was going to the evening showing of Notting Hill. Don’t give me that look.”

Jill’s lips pursed as she continued to scrutinise his dumbfounded expression, “You want to tell me again that it doesn’t mean anything?”

“I-I-,” He stuttered and couldn’t find his own tongue, “No?”

Jill sighed and fell back into the seat of her chair. Suddenly, the intimidating posture she had been holding dissolved, and the soft, welcoming side of her was back. Still, her eyes searched him for dishonesty, but he imagined she only saw the nervous wreck of a man that he felt like in front of her.

“How long has it been going on?”

“Not long. We’ve only gone out twice, but we’ve been talking for a couple of weeks,” He said, and deflated in his seat.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess Chris doesn’t know?” She stated correctly. He nodded.

“I met her at the cafe she’s working at over the summer break. I had no idea.”

Jill breathed in deeply and sighed again, and something in her eyes made him feel like she was pitying him.

“You’re a good guy, Leon,” She said, “I’ve seen how you work, I know that you play things by the book. You’ll respect her.”

“Of course!” Leon blurted out, as just the thought alone was off putting.

“The problem is getting Chris to see that.”

“Wait, you’re going to help me?” Leon asked.

Jill smiled, her eyes gleaming, “Come on, I saw the way you were looking at her, like she’d gone and hung the stars in the sky just for you. It was… cute. Chris is just doing his best protecting his little sister, but sometimes I think he forgets that she’s gone and grown up under his own nose.”

Leon let out the breath he had been holding, finally certain that Chris wasn’t waiting around the corner for him to admit his guilt and beat him into a pulp. He laughed softly at himself, surprised at how ridiculous he was being.

“I was trying to befriend him,” Leon admitted, “I thought if I got on his good side he might be a little less macho when he found out.”

“So that’s what that weird little introduction was the other day?” Jill asked with a sly little smirk.

Leon blushed and nodded his head, “Yeah. I saw the opportunity and I just took it. I didn’t really think it through.”

Jill rolled her eyes and gave him an affectionate swat on the arm, but when she opened her mouth to reply she was cut off by the sound of the S.T.A.R.S office door swinging open and clacking against the wall. Chris walked through the door alongside Joseph and Barry. Leon startled and stood quickly from Chris’ seat, but Jill remained calm and collected as she rolled her chair around to face the trio.

“Jill,” Chris greeted, and then a little less certainly add “Leon? What are you doing up here?”

Jill intercepted Leon before he could even open his mouth and responded, “He came up here looking for some advice. He asked before, remember?”

Chris reached up and scratched the back of his head, “Oh yeah. How’s that going for you?”

“Good!” Leon squeaked. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat and tried again, “Good. I’ve got a lot to learn from you guys.”

Barry shuffled passed Chris and came up to him to clap him on the shoulder, “It’s good to hear that some of the rookies here have some real initiative.”

“Yeah, and chicks dig it when you tell them you're on an elite force!” Joseph piped in, but his smug demeanour was quickly crushed by Chris’ elbow jamming into his gut.

“Ignore him,” Chris said in reference to his now keeled over teammate. “How's your aim?”

Leon glanced down at Matilda, safely tucked away in its holster, “I can hold my own.”

“Chris is our award winning marksman! If you want someone who can give you pointers on refining your technique, he's gonna be your guy,” Barry said, his voice thick with something that sounded quite like fatherly pride.

“We could go for a round at the shooters range,” Chris suggested, his arms crossed over the impressive width of his chest. The material of his uniform strained over his biceps. Leon was too focused on just how intimidating his muscles looked to realise that he was expecting a response, until Jill swiftly kicked him in the shin to grab his attention.

“Hey-” Leon started, but was cut off by Jill’s expression. She twitched her head to the side, and her eyes flashed over to Chris and back to him, but Leon was having a hard time trying to decipher what she was getting at.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation and turned away to face Chris herself. “I think that sounds like a great idea. Maybe I could tag along as well, make an event out of it.”

“If that’s the case, bring Rebecca along too. She’ll probably appreciate the help,” Barry added on.

“That settles it then,” Jill stood and pressed her hands down onto her desk, “It can be like a team building event. Plus Leon.”

“Leon might be in the running for a future teammate yet if he shows any promise,” Barry said cheerily. Chris practically guffawed at the thought.

“It’ll take more than a good shot to join S.T.A.R.S, especially if Captain Wesker has any say in it,” He laughed.

“I wouldn’t rule it out, he’s a bit of a charmer,” Jill said in his defence, “You’d be surprised with how far that can get you.”

Joseph, somewhat recovered but still clutching his tender stomach, piped in to agree with Jill, “Of course! How do you think Jill got in?  _Sure,_ she can pick locks, but with a pretty face like that…”

“Say that to my face and you’ll have one of my lock picks shoved up your ass,” She growled.

“Come to think of it, Rebecca’s quite the sweetheart too,” Joseph continued, back turned to the group and uncaring to his imminent danger. Jill stomped over to him and pulled his arm behind him and threw him back into a headlock.

“I’ve had enough of your misogynistic bullshit,” Jill seethed.

“Is this normal?” Leon asked quietly to Barry, watching as an aggressive wrestling match played out before him.

To no one's surprise, Jill was winning.

Barry chuckled, “Only when Wesker’s out. He runs a tight ship.”

Joseph was already lying prone and face down on the floor with Jill’s knee in his back. Chris was watching on with a mixed look of pride and fear and something else Leon couldn’t quite pick out.

“I think I’m gonna go now,” Leon said as he backed away slowly.

“Should we break them up?” Chris asked, looking to Barry.

“Nah, he had it coming,” Barry laughed.

“Shooting Range! This Tuesday, I’ll show you all who’s the  _real_ boss here!,” Jill shrieked in triumph.

“I hope you’re not overstepping your boundaries, Jill dear,” said a voice from the doorway.

Everyone stopped and turned to the door, staring in horror as Captain Wesker stood like a looming, expressionless shadow. Jill and Joseph scrambled up to their feet.

“Captain, I’m sorry I -” Jill started, but was cut off by a wave of his hand.

“I’m sure Frost deserved it,” He said dismissively as he headed towards his office. Before he shut the door, he turned and frowned “But next time, take your childish antics  _outside._ I’ll not have blood on the tiles.”

The door shut.

“Yeah. I’m gonna go now,” Leon nodded to himself, and promptly left the stunned S.T.A.R.S members to clean up after themselves.

Man, those guys were a  _mess._

 

**-    June 23 1999    -**

The gun range wasn’t all that far from the police station, and more often than not there were a few officers brushing up on their skills amongst the other gun enthusiasts. As Leon entered the range, he spotted Jill and Chris already equipped and ready for practice. Beside them was a shorter, sweet looking girl with a pixie cut.

That must have been Rebecca.

“Hey, Leon!” Chris called out and gave a wave to signal him over.

“Hey,” He replied as he walked up.

Rebecca stuck out her hand and smiled up at him, “Hi! I’m Rebecca, I don’t think we’ve met yet. They told me you’re a junior officer at the precinct.”

Leon shook her hand and smiled. She seemed nice.

“Nice to meet you.”

Leon glanced around, but it was obvious they were the only ones in the range. Curious, he asked, “Hey, is anyone else coming or is it just going to be us?”

Jill crossed her arms and frowned, “Joseph was meant to come, but I think he’s chickened out. He just doesn’t want to get his ass whooped again.”

“Barry?”

“Couldn’t make it either. It doesn’t matter,” Jill shrugged, “You’ve got two of the best here to help you out. That’s all you need, right?”

Rebecca jumped on the spot, “Right!”

“Actually, I hope you don’t mind but I invited my sister along. Since this had turned out into a big group lesson I figured I’d help her brush up on her technique too,” Chris said, and Leon’s brain broke.

“Your...sister?” He stumbled.

“Wait, Claire’s coming?” Jill blurted, her eyes wide.

“Yeah. What’s the big deal?” Chris asked, confusion clouding his expression.

“Hey Chris, Jill,” Claire said, waving happily at them. When she looked past them and spotted Leon, her expression brightened and she called to him as well, “Leon, I didn’t know you were coming!”

“You two know each other?”

Claire realised her faux-pas too late, and her eyes widened in shock, “Oh. Y-yeah. We um, we met…?” She rambled pointlessly.

“She works at the cafe I frequent?” Leon tried, but it sounded like a question to his own ears. Chris’ expression was steadily darkening and his eyes were becoming stormy.

“Claire,” Chris started, his voice dangerously low, “When you told me you were hanging out with your friends from college, was that true?”

“Well…”

“ _Claire._ ”

“I'm sorry,” She rushed out, “We were gonna tell you! I just knew you'd get all protective and - Chris!”

In a split second, Leon found himself pinned against the opposite wall.

If Leon had imagined all the scenarios in which this would go down, he never dreamed that it would happen in a gun range. Surrounded by guns. With Chris armed.

So this is how his life ended.

Huh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here lies Leon, may he rest in peace


	4. Chapter 4

**-    June 23 1999    -**

“Chris!”

“CHRIS!”

“CHRIS, god dammit it, let him go!”

His shirt collar was starting to dig into his skin and choke him a little.

“Chris, I'm so--”

“Don't tell me you're sorry, you piece of shit,” Chris growled and shoved him further up the wall, “What? You think you're the first dirtbag to make moves on my little sister?”

“Chris, stop it already!” Claire pleaded, and she reached over to pull at Chris’ shoulder.

“No!”

“Chris, be reasonable,” Jill tried this time, but it only incensed Chris more.

Chris continued to push, and Leon’s feet were starting to leave the floor beneath him. The pressure of Chris’ hands intensified, causing him to wince. He wondered if Chris’ thumbs had enough brute force in them to crack his collarbone, because it certainly felt like it.

“So you were in on this too? How could you, Jill?” He seethed, and his lip quivered as he held back a pout.

“How could I? Claire’s not twelve anymore! She’s an adult woman and she can make her own choices if she wants to date someone or not,” Jill shouted back. 

“ _Chris,_ ” Claire tried again, “Please let Leon go. He didn’t do anything wrong.”

Leon’s shoulder blades were beginning to ache from being ground into the wall. He tried not to whimper as he feared showing any weakness would lead to him being killed by the raging beast that had him pinned but a strange, gargled noise escaped from his throat anyway.

“Hey, stop it!” came a third voice, and all four heads turned to look. Rebecca stood off to the side, but her hands were perched on her hips in a defiant stance.

“You’re hurting him, and you’re being an immature idiot,” Rebecca grumbled.

“Immature!?”

“Yes! If you can trust me and my choices in the field, then you fundamentally trust me to make the right choices in my personal life, correct,” She asked sternly.

“Yes, but-”

“Shut up! If you can trust me to make the right choices, why can’t you do the same for your own sister? She’s older than I am!”

“But she doesn’t know what she’s getting into with this jerk,”

“Wait a minute there, Leon’s not isn’t a criminal,” Jill tried to reason, but Claire had had enough. She stepped back and went over to the cubicle that had already been set up for them and grabbed the pistol that lay there.

“Chris, if you don't get your hands off my boyfriend right now, I'll show you just how well you taught me to use a gun.”

Wait, _boyfriend?_

“Boyfriend?” Chris gaped.

“You heard me,” Claire said as she brought the gun up. The siblings stared at each other as the seconds ticked by, and the tension was palpable.

Chris relented with a grunt, and with one final shove he released Leon and stepped back. He stumbled as his feet met solid ground once more, and Claire dropped the gun to rush to his side.

“It’s a criminal offence to threaten an officer,” Chris growled.

“You’d have to act like an officer first for that to apply,” Claire spat back.

“Look Chris,” Leon started, his voice a little raw, “I’m sorry man. I had no idea Claire was your sister when we met.”

Chris ignored him as he addressed Claire, “You’re making the wrong choice here.”

“It’s still my choice to make,” She answered, unrepentant as she wrapped her arm around Leon’s waist. 

Chris’ frosty stare turned to him, and Leon suppressed a shiver from running down his spine, “If you hurt her in any way, you’re gonna have to deal with me. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Whatever, let’s go,” Claire sniffed as she started to lead him out. As they got closer to the door, they heard Chris call out after them.

“Kennedy, if you get her pregnant I’ll cut your dick off and shove it up your ass!”

“Jesus Chris, just leave them be,” Jill moaned in exasperation.

When they sat in the back of his truck, Claire clasped his hand in both of hers.

“I’m sorry Claire,” Leon winced, “I should’ve told him sooner. I shouldn’t have lied to you and told you we were friends, and I should’ve gotten his approval or something,”

“Approval?” Claire scoffed, “You didn’t need his approval. You needed mine, and you got it.”

“I don’t want to come between you guys. He’s all you got left, and I know how important he is to you,” Leon sighed, and his head dropped forward in defeat.

Claire’s hand moved up to cup his cheek, and she turned his head to face her. Her eyes glistened with raw emotion, and her brows were furrowed softly.

“You’re right, I love Chris and I would do anything for him. But he doesn’t get to dictate my life, just as I don’t get to dictate his.”

Her thumb stroked over his cheek, “Leon, I _really_ like you, and I’m not gonna throw this away just because my brother is throwing a temper tantrum. Please, tell me I’m worth more than that to you, too.”

“You’re the best thing that’s happened to me since I moved here. You’re like my breath of fresh air amongst the monotony that’s consumed my life,” Leon said sincerely.

“That’s a little sad,” she giggled softly.

“Maybe,” He twisted his body towards her and leaned in. His hand pressed into the soft, leather seat and his wrist dug into her hip, caging her between his arms.

“But it’s the truth.”

Leon might have taken the time to analyse why he was feeling so bold when not a few minutes ago he had been facing certain death, but as it stood Claire's lips looked particularly inviting and he couldn't stop himself from leaning in to capture them. She kissed back with a warm kind of contentedness that came from familiarity, but she tasted sweet like cinnamon and Leon found himself pushing for more of a taste. Slowly, they worked themselves into a horizontal position, their legs tangled awkwardly to the side.

Leon parted for a gasp of air, and took in the sight of Claire underneath him. Half her hair had dropped out of her ponytail and lay around her in a tangled mess, her eyes were glossy and her lips were swollen and red from his assault. He could feel each of her deep breaths as her breasts pushed up against his chest.

He grinned down at her, and she beamed back at him. He leaned back down at brushed his nose against hers affectionately before he cast a sly look her way.

“So, boyfriend, huh?”

She slapped his upper arm and groaned.

“What? I like it!,” He persisted.

“Yeah well, don't get cheesy about it,” She pouted.

“Sorry to inform you, but I’m all about the cheese,” He answered sagely as he pulled her back up in a sitting position, “So I guess you’ll just have to get used to it.”

“It’s a small price to pay if you’re always such a good kisser,” Claire smirked, “Speaking of, I think it’s about time you take me back to your place.”

 

****-    June 26 1999    -** **

The social group took place at the local tennis courts. The courts themselves looked a little worse for wear, the synthetic turf was worn down and the sand had not been replenished in some time. The net drooped across the court without the proper tension, and the white lines were faded. The place was a sad interpretation of what the courts could be if they had a little money flashed its way, which made the glamorous women playing on them look even more strange in their gleaming whites. 

Leon watched from inside his car as they played through the end of their match, as they shook hands and wiped towels over their damp foreheads. He didn't imagine that high society ladies played hard enough to work up a real sweat, but it was a seasonably warm day even for the middle of summer. He only exited his vehicle when the group meandered off to the boulangerie next door, and even then he waited until most had had their morning tea and left. 

It was just like staking out a suspect, only it was broad daylight and he was off duty.

When he walked inside the French bakery, he found her sitting by herself reading a magazine, her cup of coffee turning cold.

“You’ve got good form,” Leon intersected, and the mayor’s daughter twisted in her seat to look at him, “I walked by earlier, when you were playing your match.”

Her icy blue eyes travelled up his body in leisurely perusal, and it made him feel a little vulnerable.

“Thank you,” She replied loftily, and she tilted her head towards him, “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“Oh, no. You might have seen me around, maybe. I'm a police officer with the Raccoon City Polt Department,” Leon recited, and he stuck his hand out to the sitting woman, “My name's Leon.”

She stared at his hand for a moment before she took it in her own and gave it a small shake, “Katherine Warren.”

Leon tried to act surprised, “You’re the mayor’s daughter?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” She rolled her eyes, but she didn't seem to want to elaborate on it. Instead, her eyelashes fluttered demurely and she beckoned the empty seat across from her, “Come, sit.”

Leon took the opportunity he'd been presented with and sat. She lifted her delicate hand in the air and asked, “Coffee?”

“Yes, please. Black.”

“So, Leon, was it? Do you often take peeks at women unbeknownst to them?”

“What?” He sputtered and blushed, “No. I was just walking by, I didn't mean anything by it.”

She giggled and it grated his ears, “I'm only joking. I'm sorry if it came out the wrong way. I don't have the best way with words.”

“So, you're not practising to become a politician then?”

“God no. I can't deal with all the sleazy men," She said, looking a little put-off, "It's enough having to smile and wave when their around for my father's sake. I imagine you spend plenty of time surrounded by them too, in your field of work."

“If you mean the criminals, then yes, I do,” He said, and when she wrinkled her nose at his response he questioned her on it.

She sighed and deflated slightly, “I don't have the best relationship with cops, really.”

“Why?”

“It's… it's nothing.”

“Tell me, please," He pressed gently.

She pinned him with her glacial stare, but Leon held his ground, “What are you searching for?”

Leon pondered how much he should give. As it stood, Katherine was not going to give up any information for free, though Leon wasn't expecting her to either. Still, he couldn't just go all out and tell her he was investigating Irons, or she might clam up completely like she had with Kevin.

Leon tried a different approach, and tried to broaden his brushstroke, “I've been hearing things. About sexual harassment in the precinct. I'm not asking you to make an official statement or anything, but if you have any information then it might point me in the right direction.”

Katherine rolled her eyes, “I swear, guys go from zero to one hundred in a flash. Here I thought you just wanted to ask me on a date or something. But no, it's always business with you guys.”

“Katherine, please,” He pleaded.

“Ugh, fine. But if you're looking into it, you might as well go straight to the top. Chief Irons is a total creep,” She sneered.

Bingo.

Leon remained calm and impassive as he pressed her for more, “Has he done anything… to you?”

She stared at him, her eyes dark and full of mistrust. For a long moment she said nothing, and Leon began to see the hurt that was hidden behind her expression. When she finally started to talk, her voice shook.

“We always had a pact, never let a girl go alone at a party. That’s nothing new, but we had heard stories that Chief Irons could be a little too handsy when he’d had a few too many drinks. Besides, we were always surrounded by drunk politicians, so it was just safer in the long run.”

“We?”

“Me and Melanie Horne. We grew up together, her father is my father’s deputy, so it made sense. That was until…”

“Until she disappeared,” Leon finished for her.

Katherine looked down at her hands and she nodded her head.

“Last year, I didn’t attend the animal welfare charity event because I’d come down with the flu. She went without me, because her father was adamant she make an appearance. I had no idea I would… never see her again,” She whispered.

“What happened, Katherine?” He asked gently.

“She called me that night, from the party. When I answered the phone, she told me she was going to go outside and get a cab to come over, that Chief Irons had been more persistent than usual. But before we could say goodbye she was cut off. I heard… I thought I heard a man's voice, and it sounded like a scuffle, but the line cut.”

A tear ran down her cheek as she finished, “I thought it was just some grumpy drunk who got pissed off that she was taking too long on the phone. But then she never made it home.”

Leon leaned forward, feeling a great surge of sympathy for the woman, “Did you report any of this to the police?”

“Of course I did!,” She scowled, “Chief Irons told me he would do everything he could to find her, but then my dad kindly reminded me that most missing people don’t want to be found and I…”

“You think Chief Iron’s has something to do with it?”

“I don’t know,” She cried softly in frustration, “I thought it sounded like him on the phone! But it’s been so long and everyone told me I must have been hearing things.”

Leon reached his hand out to her, leaving his palm face up and open. She stared at it before she placed her own upon his, and he grasped her hand.

“Thank you, for telling me,” He consoled, “I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you, but I promise I will find out what happened to Melanie, and if Chief Irons is involved then I will make sure as hell that he pays for it.”

She looked up at him with teary eyes and gave him a watery grimace, “You can’t go around making promises like that, officer.”

“I’m gonna make it anyway.”

 

**-    June 28 1999    -**

Claire and Jill were standing closely together against the banner of the library’s upper level, so close in fact that their upper arms were smushed together, but they weren’t talking. At least, they weren’t talking when Leon walked in. They were both focused on something out of his view, and their heads tilted in unison like curious puppies listening to a strange noise. Leon climbed the stairs to greet them, but they didn’t seem to notice his presence at all. As he closed in on them, he caught snippets of their hushed conversation.

“Maybe he decided to go down a trouser size? Usually he wears them a little less, form fitting,” Jill murmured quietly to Claire.

“It _is_ a nice ass. I think I kinda see why you tried to climb him like a tree when you got shitfaced at the christmas party,” Claire contemplated, and she pulled at her bottom lip with her teeth.

“He’s built like a goddamn greek god, even if I’m ashamed to admit it. Only drunk me could get passed him being a colossal asshole.”

“Hmm,” Claire hummed, and their heads tilted a little further to the side, “No one said you can’t admire the goods without buying, right?”

Leon had enough of listening to them openly admiring some police officer’s assets, and he stepped up behind them and leaned down to prop his own head between theirs. He tried to put on his best hurt look as he commented, “Should I be worried that you’re looking at another man?”

“Leon!” Claire jumped. She twisted around to give him a one armed hug and a kiss on his cheek, which was all she could manage in her current position.

“Who were you perving on anyway?” He asked, looking over to where they had been staring off. No one was there, but the alcoves were deep. 

Then a certain blond S.T.A.R.S captain appeared around the corner, flicking through a case file in his hand. 

“Wesker!?” Leon gaped. He was sure he would need to pick his jaw off the floor if Jill didn’t already jam it shut with her hand.

“Shhhh!” Jill hissed between her teeth. She glared at him with a sour look, “You better work on your discretion if you ever plan to make rank. Yours is shit.”

Leon peeled her hand away from his mouth and frowned, “Really? Isn’t he like, 40 or something?”

“Jeez Leon, it’s not like it’s a competition,” Claire grinned and reached up to pinch his chin, wiggling him slightly, “Lucky for you, I find your floppy hair and butt chin so damn cute. Wesker might’ve aged like a fine wine, but that’s more Jill’s style.”

“Oi! That’s not true!” Jill scoffed.

“Really? Then why won’t you go out with my brother?”

“Because you know he’s an idiot that can’t take a hint,” Jill pushed off the bannister with a huff, “I’ve had enough of this. I have to get back to work, as I have better things to do than listen to you both.”

“Better things to look at too.”

“Enough!” She spun on the spot and pointed at them both, “If you two don’t let it rest I’ll tell your brother about how you’ve been sneaking back to Leon’s apartment and we’ll see how funny you think it is then. 

Claire laughed cheerily and leaned back into his chest, claiming confidently, “My brother wouldn’t hurt me.” 

“Not so sure I’d come out unscathed,” Leon swallowed.

Jill’s eyebrows rose, “Exactly. I’m sure you’d prefer his balls to be attached to his body, Claire.”

A brilliant flush spread across Claire’s face, and Jill sniggered at the sight before she walked off after having the final word. Leon stared at the spot she had vacated, mentally telling himself once more to never, ever, cross that woman. When Claire finally found her voice again, she turned to face him and muttered sullenly about Jill’s scheming abilities before she took the conversation in a different direction. 

“My birthday's coming up soon,” She mentioned casually, piking Leon's interest.

“Yeah? What do you want to do?” 

“Nothing crazy,” Claire insisted, “I think my brother is gonna throw a big shindig at the house and make a big deal out of it. He's still kinda sore about the whole dating thing so I'd be surprised if he even invites you…”

Leon would be surprised himself. Every time he and Chris had crossed paths since the older man had sent withering looks his way, and when he did speak it seemed to only be through thinly veiled threats.

“There's a place I really want to visit,” Claire continued, “You just gotta trust me on it.”

“Whatever you want, you're the birthday girl,” He smiled warmly before stepping back and grabbing her hand.

“Now, I’ve only got a half hour for lunch, so you better have somewhere in mind to eat. We’re not walking around the same block five times as you mull it over like last time,” He teased.

She punched him.

  
****-    July 2 1999    -** **

When Claire had asked him to pick her up from her place, he wasn't expecting to find her climbing out of a window. The lights inside were colourfully lit and he could hear laughter and music coming from inside. She raced up to his car and threw herself inside, planting a sweeping kiss on his cheek as she buckled herself in.

“You didn’t tell me your birthday party was tonight,” Leon said sternly, “Maybe we should do this some other night when your brother isn’t going to be looking for you.”

“My brother is always looking for me,” She deadpanned, then reached over to pat his hand resting on the gear.

“He’ll notice you’re gone.”

“Maybe. But there are so many people inside that I’ll just come up with some excuse. He’s gone all high alert on me since he found out and on any other night it would be just me and him, and he’d definitely notice then.”

She turned to him with her annoyingly beautiful big blue eyes and Leon gave in on the spot. He sighed internally, wondering what else Claire was beginning to control in his life. Not that he minded.

“Alright? So where we going birthday girl?” He asked, and Claire grinned back.

She directed him through Raccoon City, leaving downtown behind as they headed further out. Businesses turned into bars, and when he pulled over in a side alley so they could walk on foot, Leon got a sinking feeling he knew where they were headed. 

The Hairy Canary was a cheap and dirty club frequented by college students and backpackers alike. Leon had been there on more than one occasion to break up a fight between testosterone-fueled bros that had had too much to drink or catching people shooting up around the corner. He’d had enough experiences just on the streetside to know he never wanted to enter the place as a paying customer.

So when he realised that was where Claire was taking him, he dug his heels into the ground to stall them. Claire tugged insistently at his hand, but he shook his head as he reasoned, “Claire, you can’t even get in. In case you’ve forgotten, you’re underage.”

She turned to face him and grabbed his other hand as well. She leaned backwards in an effort to drag him closer to the line, “Don’t worry, I’ve got a fake.”

“Claire, a fake ID? You know that’s illegal,” Leon hissed. 

“Of course it is, but I just want to celebrate my birthday with my boyfriend the way I want to,” She said, her hands rubbing at his chest. Leon was still unconvinced for a variety of reasons. Not only was this place pretty seedy, but if there was the off chance he was caught drinking with a minor...

“Come on Leon,” She begged, “Just take off that badge you wear for one night and have some fun with me!”

Leon let out a gusty sigh as he stared into Claire's big, pleading eyes. It was ridiculous that she even wanted to be here, and Leon would have preferred to have turned up at her and Chris’ house for her not so secret party to get punched in the face right now, but this was what she wanted.

“Fine, fine!” He conceded with a roll of his eyes, “But if I told you half the stories I've got about this place, you'd never want to go in.”

Claire jumped for joy and lept into him for a grateful hug. She leaned back to look at him, happier than he'd ever seen her, “If it's shit then we'll leave and I'll never drag my cop boyfriend to a club ever again.”

“Not until you're 21.”

“Right “

“I mean it, Claire.”

“I _know,_ ” She gave a gusty sigh and began to drag him by the hand, tugging even as he resisted a little. As they waited in line, his eyes scanned around for any cop cars lying in wait, but the street was quiet except for the buzzing clubbers who were surprisingly peaceful. 

The club was dimly lit and humid. It smelled of sweat and stale alcohol, mixed with cheap perfumes and deodorant and it reminded Leon of the sleazy clubs he’d been dragged to while he had still been in the academy. They ended up crushed into the bar as he yelled out and ordered them drinks (beer) and tried to ignore the part of his brain that was telling him he was breaking the law. 

Leon could barely hear Claire over the music, some zaney disco tune with the bass turned up so high he could feel it rattle his bones, and when he passed her the bottle she clinked it against his and grinned. He nursed his drink and watched with mild disapproval as she sculled hers. When she slammed it down on the bar, she leaned up on the seat and called directly into his ear.

“No more judgy face, kay?”

Claire took his hands in hers and began to swing them between them, moving in time with the sway of her hips. Leon forgot his drink behind him as she pulled him forward, and he tried to follow her orders and loosen up a little, moving to the beat. 

The further they were dragged into the dance floor, the closer they were crushed together by other dancers. Claire’s arms were braced against his chest, and she moved them up to wrap her hands around his shoulders. Leon’s hands braced against her hips instinctively, and Leon felt his pulse begin to race. Suddenly, they weren’t just dancing together - they were dancing _together_.

Her eyes seemed to glitter under the strobe lighting, beckoning him closer. The lip gloss she was wearing glistened in the light, and Leon felt the urge to taste it. Even now, overwhelmed by the smells and ears clogged by the volume, he wanted to kiss her. He brought his head down to hers, and their foreheads brushed as they stared into each other’s eyes. Even in the darkness, he could see that teasing look that she got as she tried to egg him on. 

Leon hesitated as their lips brushed. Leon had always wanted to be courteous, and gentlemanly. God knows what Chris would do if he knew this is where his sister had run off to. But his blood was racing in his veins and his body felt charged just by her proximity. No, he thought, this wasn’t the right time or the right pl-

Claire’s hand grasped his neck and brought him down to her, her lips capturing his own. Her tongue swept against his upper lip, teasing him as it asked for entrance. Leon moaned aloud, the sound washed away as he gave in. 

Leon’s hands moved downwards, found the soft flesh of her ass and squeezed. She broke from his lips and gasped, and Leon pressed her close. Their hips ground together, mimicking an act they were probably both thinking about. She mouthed his name, and his blood pressure spiked at the sight. 

Leon didn’t know how long they stayed on the dance floor, and he had no idea what the time was when they finally left. What he did know was that when they tumbled into the back seat of his car and he wiggled his hand beneath her underwear as she hastily unbuttoned her shorts he was determined to finish her birthday with a bang.

 

**-    July 6 1999    -**

Leon’s shifts hadn’t coincided with Kevin’s in over a week. He didn’t know the guy’s number, or where he lived, and Kevin didn’t seem like he was about to come forth to seek him out either. So, in the end, benevolent soul that he was, Leon took on overtime knowing his shift would overlap with Kevin’s once more. Unfortunately, waiting for his co-conspirator to start work when he had already pulled twelve hours was proving to be a drag.

Leon had almost fallen asleep at his desk when the sound of a gunshot echoed through the building and a shrill scream followed soon after. The gentle meandering of the officers suddenly turned to a cacophony of movement, and Leon struggled to comprehend what was going on when he was so close to finishing his all-nighter. Lieutenant Branagh raced into the bullpen and called out to every officer in the vicinity.

“We’re in the middle of an active shooter situation officers, this is not a drill!” Leon felt his heart begin to race the moment he heard the word hostage spoken. 

“Where the fuck are S.T.A.R.S? Someone call their office,” Kevin scoffed as he walked in, his face sour but his body relaxed. Leon glanced at the clock and noticed the time - Kevin’s shift was just starting. 

“They were already dispatched for a drug bust, as you well know. Ryman, Kennedy, get your asses out there already!” Branagh commanded, throwing his arm out and signalling for them to leave.

Kevin reached over and pulled him up and out of his chair by the sleeve of his uniform then slapped his face lightly, “Bright eyes, kid. I need you sharp.”

Kevin thrust a kevlar vest onto him, and Leon hastily pulled it on. 

“Looks like there’s always gonna be something in the way, isn’t there?” Kevin said.

“What's the current status?” Leon asked as he buckled on his Kevlar vest. 

An officer inspected the CCTV and turned to face him, “The shooter hasn’t left the atrium. Seems like what we heard was a warning shot, but he has the receptionist and other bystanders on their knees. This is a hostage situation, Kennedy.”

“What kind of idiot holds a shoot up in the police headquarters?” Kevin growled. He unholstered his gun and fell into position. Leon followed suit, but he failed to hide the slight tremor that ran up his arm as he joined the cluster of officers at the door, ready to head out.

“Leon, you’ve got this,” Kevin murmured confidently, “It’s just like the drills they run at the academy. Do not take any unnecessary risks, and we’ll be fine.”

“Of course,” Leon replied, taking a deep breath.

They opened the door and headed through the corridors to the main atrium, marking off the area with officers at every exit. Leon stuck close to Kevin as they moved, and as they entered by the main entrance Leon got his first look at the situation. A man, scrawny and well into his 50’s, with wild eyes and a panicked expression, rotated as he yelled out to every officer in the vicinity. The receptionist and the civilians were cowering behind the desk, terrified beyond measure.

“This whole town is sick!” The man spat as he swung the gun around, “Including you! You’re all part of this horrible, sick twisted game he plays.”

“Who’s game?” Leon asked aloud, and he wondered where his own voice had come from.

The man swung around to face him, his eyes wide and bloodshot, and his arm quivered violently as he pointed the pistol at him. 

“What the fuck are you doing, kid?” Kevin seethed through his teeth, “Don’t let your fucking guard down.”

“Don’t act like you don’t know! It’s all happening right under your nose,” He wailed over the top of Kevin's voice.

“What happening, tell us,” Leon pushed further. He took a step forward and felt the pressure of Ryman’s hand gripping the back of his vest.

“My daughter! My daughter has been missing for a year, and we’re still left in the dark,” The man hissed out, “I just wanted to know that she was safe, but you can’t do anything, can you?”

If this were any other situation, Leon would have spared a glance back at his partner. As it was, that would likely be a very stupid move to make. 

“Now I know it’s all a fucking lie. All I wanted was my baby girl to come home, but then I find out you and your sick police chief are out there murdering innocent girls and then burying the evidence,” He growled, his eyes wild.

“But guess what? You didn’t clean up after yourselves well enough this time.”

He just needed to keep him talking, Leon thought as he watched the receptionist usher the civilians into a crawl. They crept away from the desk and one by one began to move to one of the doors guarded. The officer pushed each behind him and into safety as they came.

“You’ve got proof, huh? Then give it to us,” Leon reasoned, “You know this won’t end up well for you.”

The man glared at him, “Just like how my daughter ended up brutally murdered? Covered up by you filthy psychopaths, never to be found.”

“Maybe it’s time that you pay for the crimes you commit.”

Time slowed down as Leon zeroed in on the man's gun, watched as it swung around to point at the cowering receptionist. Leon couldn't hear anything over the sound of his own breathing, of his blood rushing in his ears.

_Hush. Hush. Hush_.

His muscles tensed and released as he sprinted across the room, leaping forward with all the power he could muster. His arms wrapped around the woman's torso as he turned their bodies for impact.

Then, he only felt searing, white hot pain unfurl from his shoulder to wrack through his entire body. Bones crunched together from the heavy impact, and his head slammed against the stone tiles with a crack.

Then, there was only darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess what, I'm back from the dead (Unlike Leon!).
> 
> I never meant to disappear for so long, but my employment circumstances changed for a bit and lets just say there was a lot of travel, work and not a lot of free time for a while there. But I've finished up that contract and I'm getting back on track for this story, so I hope there's still people out there who will read and enjoy it :)
> 
> Also making the confession that I have always had a major soft spot for wesclaire, as it's the pairing that got me into ff. Maybe that came through a little bit in this chapter!


End file.
